On October 7, 2023, Israeli women experienced unspeakable horrors - rape, torture, brutal executions - at the hands of Hamas terrorists. An eyewitness has said that he saw terrorists gang-rape a woman and then cut off her breasts to play with.
At least 10 of the Israeli hostages released by Hamas were sexually assaulted or abused while in captivity, an Israeli doctor has said. The evidence is overwhelming, yet the response from the international community has been one of silence, evasion, and even outright denial. As female politicians in the European Parliament, we cannot remain silent while our colleagues, media representatives, and human rights organizations betray the very values they claim to uphold. The silence and hypocrisy are downright disturbing.
A Deafening Silence - the second murder
Throughout history, women's rights organizations and political leaders have been at the forefront of condemning sexual violence in conflict. From Bosnia to Rwanda, from the Yazidi women under ISIS to Ukraine today, gender-based violence has been rightfully acknowledged as a war crime. Yet when it comes to the Israeli women assaulted, mutilated, and kidnapped by Hamas, those same voices suddenly hesitate. The feminist movement that has long championed the cause of victims has, in too many cases, remained disturbingly quiet.
NGOs that claim to advocate for survivors of sexual violence have issued vague statements or, worse, ignored the testimonies altogether. Some have even gone as far as questioning the credibility of reports, engaging in victim-blaming (Hamas’) rhetoric, or shifting the conversation away from the suffering of Israeli women to broader geopolitical narratives. Silence, denial, and justification have killed the women murdered by Hamas a second time. The UN, UN Women in particular, the ICRC, Amnesty, and Human Rights Watch are among the organisations that should be ashamed.
Journalists Who Should Have Known Better
The media, often the last line of defence in exposing war crimes, has failed Israeli women on and after October 7. Journalistic standards demand rigorous reporting, a commitment to truth, and a refusal to let ideology obscure facts. And yet, major news outlets have barely covered Hamas’ crimes against Israeli women. Some hesitated to use the term “rape,” others placed Hamas’ atrocities in misleading contexts, and many downplayed or omitted survivors’ testimonies altogether.
Worse still, some so-called reporters have actively contributed to disinformation, giving a platform to those who dismiss the horrors as fabrications. Mainstream media has used “facts” derived from Hamas as objective truth, without questioning the source with a word or thought. Unfortunately, too many reporters failed Israeli women by allowing politics to dictate how to report on innocent women’s destiny.
Political Cowardice
Europe, not least the European Parliament, has long prided itself on being a defender of human rights, but the response of too many political leaders to the suffering of Israeli women has been shameful. Some leaders have remained silent out of fear of offending certain political constituencies. Others have issued only lukewarm condemnations, failing to demand accountability from Hamas or pressure human rights organizations to recognize these crimes.
This is not just a failure of moral leadership - it is an erosion of the principles that underpin the European project. The rights of women must never be conditional on their nationality, ethnicity, or the political context in which they suffer. The moment we start applying double standards to victims of sexual violence, we betray the very essence of human rights advocacy.
A Call to Action
On this International Women’s Day, we demand an end to the hypocrisy. All women deserve the unwavering support of the free world - and of anyone bold enough to speak of human rights.
First, European leaders must unequivocally recognize the sexual violence committed against Israeli women on October 7 as war crimes and ensure these crimes are investigated by international bodies. There must be no room for denial or minimization.
Second, the European Parliament, the House that we represent, must adopt a resolution demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages taken by Hamas, and condemning in the strongest possible terms for what Israeli women have experienced.
Third, we expect NGOs that claim to stand for women’s rights to publicly acknowledge the suffering of Israeli women and call for justice with the same urgency they do in other conflicts. Furthermore, journalists must commit to fair and unbiased reporting. It is their duty to amplify the voices of survivors, and challenge disinformation. If NGOs or journalists cannot do this, they shall not receive any EU funds anymore.
Fourth, anyone serious about protecting women - in Israel, the region, and beyond - must acknowledge the inescapable truth: Hamas must be defeated. As long as Hamas exists, women cannot be free or safe, in Israel or beyond.
Women’s rights cannot be a selective cause. Denouncing Hamas’ horrific acts is not choosing a side in the longstanding territorial conflict; it is about defending women everywhere. This is not about Israelis vs. Palestinians - it is about empathy vs. indifference, decency vs. cruelty. Looking away is legitimizing rape and gender-based violence, placing women around the world in danger. The silence, excuses, and justifications that have surrounded the suffering of Israeli women are an indictment of political and moral failures. It is time for Europe to stand up and prove that it truly believes in justice for all women - without exception, without excuses, and without delay.
